Berry Street preserves and holds historical records for all of our past services. The Heritage Service helps people who were past clients and residents of Berry Street, Sutherland Homes and Lisa Lodge to access their records.
This is a confidential, free service for past residents and their families.
Berry Street's history
From 1877, many children were placed in Berry Street's care, formerly known as ‘The Victorian Infant Asylum and Foundling Hospital’ and the 'Berry Street Babies Home’.
There are 3 agencies that are now collectively known as Berry Street:
- Sutherland Homes for Children in Diamond Creek: established in 1909 and amalgamated with Berry Street in 1994
- Lisa Lodge in Ballarat: established in 1970 and merged with Berry Street in 2012
- Berry Street.
About the Past Client and Heritage Services
We preserve and hold records and information for all Berry Street services. The content of records varies, with earlier records consisting mainly of register entries.
After you submit an enquiry, you can choose to not continue with it at any point.
Services available
The Past Client and Heritage Services provides 2 types of support:
- record searches: access to and copies of client records held by Berry Street
- supported release of records held by Berry Street.
Record searches
This includes:
- records of children who were in our care (this may include admission forms, register entries, ‘boarding out’ information, residential and foster care records, Looking After Children records, care plans and photos).
- records of counselling, therapy and education services.
Find out more about how to request your records.
Supported release of records
Past clients can access support in a range of areas:
- when applying for and receiving records
- after receiving records
- with contacting and making referrals to adoption information services
- with locating and accessing records from other agencies who provided out-of-home care
- with searching for separated family members
- with referrals to other support agencies
- regarding allegations or complaints
- with holding agency reunions.
How past care leave can make a complaint to Berry Street
If you are a past client who experienced abuse in care with Berry Street you can lodge a complaint with us or make an application through the National Redress Scheme. Find out how to lodge a complaint.
Apologies
We are dedicated to learning lessons from the past, and commit ourselves to ensuring that everybody across the whole organisation will work together so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.
Read Berry Street's Apologies to those who suffered harm in our care.
Request your records